This invention relates to a molding for front glass interposed between a body panel and a glass panel of various vehicles, and more particularly to a molding for front glass for vehicles to prevent creation of stain due to peeling of paint caused by friction between the molding and the body panel.
Conventionally, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,757,659 and 4,757,660, it is known that a molding is fixed on an outer periphery of a glass panel and then is directly adhered with an adhesive onto the body panel such that the molding becomes fixed.
With the known molding, friction is always present at a junction between the molding and the body panel due to the vibration and rocking created during the running of vehicle, thereby causing paint to be peeled from the body panel, such that the exposed portions of the body panel become stained by rain and wind.
A main object of the invention is to provide a molding for front glass wherein a holder is interposed between the molding and the body panel to overcome the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and wherein a molding is engaged with the holder pre-fixed at the frictional portion of the body panel so as to fix the molding against vibration created during running of the vehicle so that friction is not produced between the body panel and the molding.
Another object of this invention is to provide the molding for front glass wherein the holder comprises a plurality of discrete holder sections which are attached in spaced apart relation along the wall forming an opening of the body panel so that the molding can be strongly fixed by engaging the holder sections with the main molding, and which can be produced economically and with a very pleasing external appearance.
According to this invention, the front glass molding comprises a molding body including a main molding, an auxiliary molding and a holder. The main molding is provided with a head, a leg projected downwardly from the head, an upper engaging portion and a lower engaging portion formed respectively on said leg. The auxiliary molding has an inserting projection for inserting between the head and the upper engaging portion of the main molding, and the holder is provided with an engaging piece for engaging with the lower engaging portion of the main molding and with an abutting face for attaching onto the wall of the body panel. The holder is fixed onto the wall of the body panel, the lower engaging portion of the main molding is engaged with an engaging piece of the holder, a glass panel is fixed at left and right side sections of the molding by the auxiliary molding inserted onto the main molding, and the glass panel is fixed at an upper section of the molding onto a lower face of the head of the main molding without using the auxiliary molding.
The holder of the front glass molding according to this invention can comprise a continuous elongated piece made of a synthetic resin and extending along a full periphery of the molding including the left and right side sections and the upper section. The holder is provided at its upper end with a contacting tongue extending along a top of the wall of the chassis panel, and at its lower end with a bend adjusting portion which is bendable or can be cut to conform to the height of the body panel wall. The holder is also provided at its one side face with an engaging piece for engaging with the lower engaging portion of the main molding, and at another side face with an abutting face for attachment to the body panel wall.
In the modification of the front glass molding according to this invention, the holder can comprise a plurality of discrete holder sections which are fixed in spaced apart relation or contiguously along the wall of the body panel. Each of the holder sections is provided at its one side face with an engaging piece for engaging with the lower engaging portion of the main molding, and at its other side face with an abutting face for attachment to the wall of the body panel.